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 Highlights
from Monday, 11 September
On the opening
day of the thirteenth sessions of the FCCC subsidiary bodies (SB-13),
delegates convened in the morning for a welcoming ceremony and to
address organizational matters. In the afternoon, a joint session
of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary
Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) was held, during
which Parties made general statements and addressed issues relating
to adverse effects, compliance, activities implemented jointly (AIJ),
the mechanisms, and capacity building. In addition, SBSTA considered
a number of issues, including land use, land-use change and forestry
(LULUCF), technology transfer, and policies and measures. A contact
group met to discuss capacity building and informal consultations
were held on administrative and financial matters.
Above and
below : French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin addresses the Plenary.
RealAudio available below.
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Arrival
of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin
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French
Prime Minister Lionel Jospin arrives and is greeted by UNFCCC Executive
Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar and Deputy Executive Secretary
Tahar Hadj-Sadok
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Down
to the Plenary Hall for the Welcoming Ceremony . . .
>>Bottom
left is French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet
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Prime
Minister Jospin and Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar
enter the Plenary Hall
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COP-5
President Jan Szyszko (Poland) asked delegates to stand for a moment
of silence in memory of Professor Shukong Zhong of China and Jean
Ripert, former delegate of France and Chair the FCCC Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee.
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FCCC
Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar drew participants' attention
to two political challenges: the need to support developing countries
in their response to climate change impacts; and the importance
of realizing the goals of the Protocol. He cautioned against attempts
to renegotiate parts of the Protocol, as this would result in its
collapse.
RealAudio of Zammit Cutajar's speech: in
English en français
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Raymond Barre,
Mayor of the City of Lyon, expressed his hope for a successful
outcome for SB-13. He noted the presence of France's Prime Minister
and Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment as a sign of
the political and economic importance attached to the work on
climate change
RealAudio of Mayor Barre's address:
English
interpretation en
français
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Lionel Jospin,
Prime Minister of France, stressed the importance of domestic action
as the most important instrument to reduce emissions, and said the
mechanisms should be applicable to no more than half of the efforts
from each state. He also expressed caution over the inclusion of sinks.
He stated that his Government's recent measures to mitigate the impact
of rising oil prices did not compromise France's climate change programme
RealAudio of Prime Minister Jospin's welcoming address:
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Prime
Minister Jospin meets the press
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From
left to right: Karl Goldschwend, Chief of Protocol, UN; Rohitha
Yapa and Jack Van de Boomen, UN Security, and Salwa Dallalah, Conference
Affairs Manager, UNFCCC Secretariat.
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Meeting
with FCCC Secretariat staff
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Following
Plenary, Jospin and Voynet took the time to meet with members
of the FCCC Secretariat.
Left:
French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet (third from right)
with Secretariat staff members Fabrice Lantheaume, Isabelle Colineau,
Eve Kolasa, Cécile Camenen, Moussa Diakhite and Joanna Depledge
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. . . and with Prime Minister Lionel Jospin
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Hotel
de Ville
Following the Welcoming Ceremony,
the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Lyon, COP-5 President Szyzsko and
Executive Secretary Cutajar proceeded to the beautiful Hotel de
Ville (town hall) for a luncheon with Heads of Delegations and other
invited guests. Below, center: Prime
Minister Jospin enters the Hotel de Ville with COP-5 President Jan
Szyzsko and Mayor of Lyon Raymond Barr
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Cutajar,
Szyzsko visit the balcony of the Hotel de Ville (above) followed
by a tour of the building (right)
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Greenpeace
Greenpeace
held a demonstration outside the Palais des Congres illustrating
dangers from the use of nuclear energy and opposing its use as a
response to the greenhouse effect.
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In
the corridors...
Delegates have been
discussing rumors about a possible deal under negotiation between certain
developed country groups. While the details remain hazy, some speculation
centered around an agreement on parts of the text relating to the mechanisms,
while others suggested the agreement may incorporate a wider package deal.
Observers suggest such a move, which would marginalize developing countries,
could provoke a backlash in the negotiations.
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